


He Finally Observes

by cleverly



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Episode Fix-it, Love Confessions, M/M, Post-Episode: s04e03 The Final Problem, basically what should have happened lmao
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-31
Updated: 2018-03-31
Packaged: 2019-04-16 04:25:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14156664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cleverly/pseuds/cleverly
Summary: A rewrite of the "I Love You" scene from The Final Problem.





	He Finally Observes

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this shortly after The Final Problem premiered, and it's just been sitting in my folders ever since, gathering dust. So, I decided to post it!

“I love you.”

John lets out a sigh of relief at Sherlock’s words. He knew it must be difficult for his friend to say those words to Molly; he knows that Sherlock doesn’t have those feelings for her, and he knows that Sherlock must be filled with guilt at leading her on.

He turns his gaze back to the detective, his eyes widening when he notices that when he wasn’t looking, Sherlock had turned away from the monitor and was now facing him, staring directly at him. He quirks an eyebrow at Sherlock, the expression on John's face a mix between curiosity and panic. Behind Sherlock’s head, he watches as the clock continues to count down.

He focuses his attention back on Sherlock, who was now taking a step towards him. He could feel Mycroft’s eyes on them, following his brother’s every move, as he steps closer and closer to John. 

“I love you.” Sherlock says again, as he takes another step towards John. John freezes, realization dawning on his face. 

The seconds begin to tick by.

Tick.

_Tick._

“Molly?” Another step forward. 

John stops breathing.

“Molly, please.” Sherlock begs, as he stops a mere foot away from the shorter man. The fear on Sherlock’s face breaks John’s heart. Because John knows. He didn’t just _see_ , he finally _observed._

Sherlock loved him. 

Sherlock was in love with him.

The urgency on his face, the complete open vulnerability, took John’s breath away. All of Sherlock's defenses were down; the walls he always kept up were crumbling before John's eyes. And just as he opens his mouth to speak, to return Sherlock’s words, Molly’s voice fills the room.

“I love you.” She whispers, her voice trembling. 

John comes back to himself, relief filling him in knowing that his friend was safe. He also feels a pang of despair and pity for her, knowing how much it must have hurt her to say those words. 

His eyes search Sherlock’s face, which was now blank. Gone was all the emotion he saw there moments before. Sherlock was shutting himself in. 

He couldn’t let that happen.

Without a single thought of Mycroft and Eurus, both of which he knew were watching them, he closes the remaining distance between him and Sherlock. He places on hand on Sherlock’s arm, his other going up and wrapping around the back of Sherlock’s neck. His actions causing Sherlock's eyes to snap to him; any doubt he has falls away at the feeling of Sherlock’s rapid pulse under his fingers. 

Sherlock opens his mouth to speak, but no words come.

John smiles, stroking his palm up and down Sherlock’s arm in comfort. He shuffles forward a little more, until their toe-to-toe. He cranes his neck, looking up into Sherlock’s eyes, which shine with a mixture of fear and hope. 

Releasing a shuddered breath, he whispers. “I love you, too.”

**Author's Note:**

> How it should've happened? Right? Sorry it's so short, but I love it, nonetheless! Hope you did, too.


End file.
